Chapter 4

The sun was just coming up over the Summers Ranch and Buffy was leading a mare and her foal out to a pasture when Rupert and William drove up. She scowled and clucked the horse on, opening the paddock and unclipping the lead. She smiled as the foal neighed and raced after his mother. She gathered the lead and headed back to the stables, purposely ignoring Spike as her parents talked to his father. Dawn was practically drooling over him and Buffy rolled her eyes.

Spike stretched and caught sight of Buffy sneaking back into the stable. It was obvious to him that Buffy was trying to ignore being with him. He smiled charmingly at her little sister and called out, "Hey Buffy, why don't you show me around. I'm really interested in seeing your stables."

Buffy froze in her tracks and knew there was no way out when her mother spoke up, "That sounds like a wonderful idea. Buffy, show William around. Dawn can finish the feeding."

Buffy offered Dawn a weak smile when the brunette girl glared at her. Spike chuckled to himself as he walked over towards Buffy. He patted her cheek, "Looks like your stuck with me."

Buffy glared at him and stomped off into the stable, taking a left turn, leading him straight towards Demon, the meanest tempered horse in the stable. She paused beside the pepper gray gelding and waved her hand towards him, "Meet Demon, he's a boarder's horse. Anya Jenkins owns him. She rides him in dressage and show jumping."

Spike eyed the tempered horse as he laid back his ear and looked over at Buffy, seeing the smirk on her face, "Trying to get me bit luv?"

"First, don't call me luv, cause I'm not. Second, move your arm before he really does bite you." said Buffy with a sneer as she moved on. Spike yelped and moved his arm away just before Demon could bite him. Buffy was chuckling as she led him past a tall black Arabian mare. Spike paused beside her and ran a light hand over her neck. Buffy was about to say something when Spike began to talk softly to the mare.

"Well aren't we a pretty little thing. Dark with soulful eyes. Your owner must be a lucky person, yes they are. I bet your fast." he whispered. He looked up and caught Buffy staring at him, her hazel eyes shining softly. Their eyes locked and held and he moved closer to her.

Buffy's breath caught in her throat as she found her self captivated by his deep blue eyes and she made no motion to move away as he approached her. She gulped, her mind trying to remind her that she had a boyfriend who she loved. But her eyes drifted close as his lips neared hers. Then there was a slight cough and the two jerked apart.

A slender redhead stood in the aisle grinning. Buffy groaned to herself and looked up at Spike. She didn't know what on earth possessed her to let him try and kiss her. What the hell was she thinking. She had that boyfriend, Riley. And yet she could really care less, something was pulling her towards Spike. It must have been him acting all sweet towards Emerald. But that was over and she moved away from him, heading towards her friend.

Spike stared after her and turned back to the horse, noting her name bar on the lower stall door. He sighed and patted her head softly, "Guys I really screwed that up Emerald. But, cor, I wanted to kiss her. Just to taste her, just a little taste. Bet she's a sweet as she looks. Christ I'm lusting after a girl who can only be 16."

He stopped talking and turned, hearing footsteps coming his way. It was Buffy and her friend. He offered the redhead a small smile.

" 'ello." he said offering a hand.

Willow took it and smiled at him, "Hello William. I'm Willow. Nice to meet you."

"Same to you. So you work here?"

"I board my horse, Moondust here. And I do a little work and teach some classes in exchange. So I hear that you're the one going to be riding our Sunset when he races." said Willow, giving Buffy a cool glance from the corner of her eye.

Buffy spoke up, "Yeah that is if they train him. They may not want to."

Spike grinned, "Well according to my father this Sunset has excellent bloodlines. Why don't you show him to me and let me tell you what I think."

Buffy muttered as she and Willow led him towards a box stall down the aisle, "What make you think we want to know what you think?"

Spike heard her and tugged a golden curl that escaped her ponytail, causing her to glare and Willow to giggle, "Cause pet, I'm the one with the race no how. You stick to that show jumping."

Buffy jerked her head, "I don't jump anymore."

There was a bitterness in her voice and her eyes as she opened the stall and stepped in, clipping a lead to a tall white stallion. Spike looked at Willow who only offered him a small smile. Then his attention was drawn to the tall horse that Buffy led out. He was tall, almost 17 hands. He had a black stocking on his left back leg that faded to his white coat. A small black sunburst was centered between his eyes, giving him his name.

"He's got good conformation and excellent muscular structure. He's alert. Tall for a two year old, very tall. He's got that look in his eye, the look to run. He wants to run. No good over the jumps you say? That's cause he doesn't want to jump, he wants to run. Run like the wind. He's a winner if I ever saw one." said Spike, running his hands over the colt's body, checking muscles and bone structure.

"Yeah he doesn't like the jumps. You think you can train him? Hey! That hurt!" hissed Willow as Buffy elbowed her sharply.

Spike looked up and grinned, "Oh yeah, we can train him. What's his full name?"

"Fire's Sunset. He's out of California Sunshine by Seattle's Fire." answered Buffy, resting her head on the colt's neck.

"Very good bloodlines. No doubt there. Well my father will set up a training schedule for him. Cant wait to get him to Saratoga." said Spike, checking the colt's teeth.

Buffy's grip on the halter tightened as she stared at him, "What do you mean, get him to Saratoga? Sunset isn't going anywhere."

Spike looked at her, noting the paleness in her eye and the possessive grip on the halter, "You don't have a training track here. And all our horses are in New York. If we are going to train him then that's where he will go."

Buffy's eyes narrowed as she thrusted the lead into Willow's hand, "We'll see about that."

Willow gave Spike a blank stare as Buffy stormed out of the stables. Willow led Sunset into the stall, "You might want to go after him. Her temper is up and its not pretty. I have to get Galia ready for her practice."

Spike nodded and watched briefly as she walked over to a dainty looking bay mare and led her out to the cross ties. Hearing Buffy's loud voice, he winced and headed out to where she was shouting at her father and his own.

"They can't take Sunset. Dad you cant let them. He belongs here. I wont let you take him. They can train him at Tara's place. Her father has a training ring!" she yelled.

"Buffy quiet, your spooking the horses. Sunset has to go to Saratoga because Rupert can't be in Kentucky all the time. He's got other horses that are living in New York. He cant just leave them." said Hank, trying desperately to soothe his daughter.

Tears started to roll down her face, "But you can't take Sunset away from here, from me. He'll die without me. You know that dad."

"Elizabeth, I can assure you that you can come visit Sunset whenever you want. Your more than welcome to stay with me." said Rupert, trying to help in soothing the distraught girl, all the while shooting death glares at his son. Spike just smiled sheepishly and stood on the side.

Buffy shot Spike a harsh glare and glared at her father, "I can't believe you would let them take away Sunset. You know how much I love that colt. I hate you!"

She jerked away from her father and took off running, climbing over the paddock fence and running into the back pastures. Hank gave Rupert and Spike helpless grins and went to find Joyce, to send her after Buffy. Rupert turned and crossed his arms looking at Spike, "No you have done it son."

Spike turned and stared after the quickly disappearing Buffy, "Yeah I know. Didn't know the horse meant that much to her."